Chapter 176: Voyage of the Past

Storm was shown out in the backyard by the mansion's massive tree. The Jedi was doing lightsaber exercises as he focused on his technique and form. The boy swung his lightsaber as he envisioned enemies coming at him while defending himself. Luna's figure circled him as he moved in place as the Jedi Master evaluated her apprentice.

"In this war, you will face more than just droids," said the Jedi Master as she walked with her hands behind her back. "General Grievous, Asajj Ventress, Count Dooku, even Sunset Shimmer. You could face any one of them on the battlefield."

Storm began to pick up the speed of his swings and attacks as the words of his Master fueled him to be better.

"As your Master, it's my responsibility to prepare you. So, practice these forms often. I won't always be there to look out for you, my student. If we get separated or something happens, you need to be able to make it on your own. Don't be afraid. Just remember what I taught you and trust your instincts."

Storm turned as he did a rotation in the air and landed as he came about front face to see his Master. The boy stared at Luna, who stood there with a distinguished smile.

"I know you can do this, Storm."

The Jedi Knight bowed to his Master as Luna did the same. Soon, she disappeared as Storm was left staring at space. The boy retracted his lightsaber as he just stood there. Watching the Jedi was Night Light as the King kept his intense glare on the boy; it was bad enough that he was allowed to be near his daughter, and now he was informed that he tried to see if his granddaughter was a Jedi to take her away potentially. Had it not been for Velvet to stop him, he would have taken the Jedi out on the front lawn and executed him there himself.

The King noticed his daughter exiting the mansion as she walked through the garden and seemed to be heading to where her partner was. Storm was shown looking at the tree, admiring its beauty and nature, when he noticed Twilight coming up the hill.

"Hey," said the Jedi.

"Hey," smiled the princess.

The boy made his way to the swing as he sat down and rocked back and forth. The girl got behind her partner, pulled back the swing as far as she could, and then quickly got on as she stood behind her friend while holding onto the swing. The two teens were now swinging as the princess enjoyed herself. The two began to walk along the garden as the princess was merrily skipping in front of her partner with her hands behind her back as she looked at Storm with a swoon smile.

The boy leaned down to pick up some flowers and presented them to the princess. Twilight giggled as she took them and sniffed the blossoms; her smile got bigger while walking backward and looking at her partner. The pair soon sat along the fountain in the garden; a servant brought some cake for the teens as Twilight thanked them. The princess grabbed a plate with a slice of cake; she used the spoon to take a piece and offered it to her partner. The girl spoon-fed the piece of the sweet treat as Storm enjoyed the creamy fill.

"Try this one," said Twilight as she picked up a slice of chocolate fudge cake and offered it to Storm.

"Much better than the previous one," said Storm, using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth while Twilight took a bite.

"Mmm. So good," said the princess as she enjoyed the treat. She licked her lips as a small fudge appeared on her nose.

Storm chuckled as he saw the princess's face.

"What? Why are you laughing?" asked Twilight.

"You got a little," gestured the Jedi as he pointed at his nose.

Twilight looked at the water's reflection as he spotted the icing from the cake on her nose; she wiped it off using some napkins as Storm lightly chuckled at seeing how adorable his partner was. Twilight managed to clean herself as he didn't like how Storm was laughing at her; she then noticed the water and splashed some onto him. The princess chuckled as Storm returned the favor by splashing water on her face. The teens laughed in unison as they enjoyed their time.

As his vizor lifted, a Spy appeared from a puff of smoke near a bush. The guard peeked out from behind the small bush as he spotted the princess and her knight. He tapped the side of his vizor as he began to contact the King.

"I have the princess in my sight, your Highness."

"Good. Deploy the listening device. And standby if the Jedi makes any moves on my daughter." Night Light spoke into his earpiece.

"Copy," stated the Spy as he lifted his wrist to punch in some commands as a small device popped out.

He silently placed it beside him as the thing took shape and turned into a small ladybug that took off and flew. It flew and got close as it landed on a slice of cake and popped out a small dish that began to pick up the conversation. The Spy flipped his small dagger to hold it backward as he awaited the King's command to apprehend the Jedi if he tried anything on the princess. Night Light was listening in as the conversation between his daughter and the Jedi caught his interest.

"Storm, I... we need to talk."

The Jedi Knight glanced at Twilight with interest. She looks serious, her expression radiating an air of one about to divulge a matter of great importance.

"Yeah? What's up?" the boy asked, wondering what had brought about the sudden shift in atmosphere between them.

Twilight didn't speak for a moment. But her voice took on a squeaky, nervous tone when she did.

"Storm, I... There's something I wanted to ask you."

"And what might that be?" The boy asked as he tossed a pebble into the fountain.

Twilight watched her partner for a moment before speaking up. "You sure you wanna know? It's a bit... personal."

Storm smiled at her. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together, right? I mean, what are best friends for?"

"That's just the thing." The princess looked away from the boy. "Look, we've been best friends for the longest time, and I couldn't be happier! It's just... well... look, I was just wondering if, maybe... maybe you think we could be something more?"

"... I'm not following." Storm tilt his head in confusion.

"You know, like... more than best friends?"

"Super-mega best friends?"

Twilight did a facepalm at Storm's words.

"Okay, okay, look. I'm sorry." Storm consoled her, noticing she grew more agitated by the minute. "Can you just be direct and to the point?"

Twilight looked at her friend, her face stubborn and determined. She took a deep breath as though steeling herself to do what she was about to do.

"What if, hypothetically, I... kind of had a small... um... crush on you?"

Storm blinked a few times after hearing that; he looked at Twilight as her face was now a shade of burning crimson, the thick blush covering her cheeks and most of her features.

"W-What did you say?"

Twilight takes a deep breath as though gathering the courage to speak before opening her mouth again.

"I-I said... what if I had a crush on you?" She repeated, looking at the boy with wide eyes. "What would you do?"

Storm stared blankly at her momentarily before looking away after recovering from the shock.

"Um... we're talking hypothetically, right?"

"... Yes... yes, hypothetically..." Twilight still looked nervous as she nodded. Storm hummed thoughtfully.

"Well—huff—For one, I would most likely have to turn you down." said the teen. After hearing that, the princess gasped as if her heart almost broke in half on the spot.

"... And why might that be?" Twilight's voice carried with it a hint of disappointment, almost sadness.

"For a multitude of reasons. First of all, you deserve better. I'm sure you can do much better than some ordinary person."

"Okay, first of all, you're anything but ordinary!"

"I didn't mean that literally, Sparky." Storm chuckled.

"I know, I know..." Twilight sighed. "But what about the other reasons? I wanna hear them."

Storm sighed as he looked away, running his hand through his hair and neck. The Jedi looked briefly at the water's reflection before looking at the princess.

"Easy. I'm unattractive to look at, Sparky. My appearance is... less than average. Look, I don't want to sound self-pitying here, okay? But this is just how it is. If you would pursue anyone, you deserve the most handsome, charismatic, and attractive boy out there. Not someone like, well, me."

Storm paused, thinking for a moment.

"Okay, third. And you know this reason. I'm a Jedi; you're a princess. It could never happen." stated the teen, letting out a heavy sigh as if he didn't want to say what he was saying. "So why would that interest you? You deserve someone with a strong sense of self-esteem, someone who's confident, cool, and whatnot. I can't be any of those things for you."

"Oh, Storm..." Twilight sighed as she reached over, grabbed his hand, and held it with hers while scooting closer. "I don't think you're unattractive at all. It's quite the opposite, really. To me, you're... you're the most wonderful being alive." Twilight gave the boy a patient smile, waiting for her words to sink in. "... and besides, I've always preferred someone with an eccentric personality. It's endearing. You're fun to be around, and you... um..."

Twilight blushed slightly, looking away from her partner.

"... You're perfect, Storm. To me."

Storm sighed as Night Light heard this and nearly was this close to getting his men to execute the boy.

"If hypothetically, you romantically see me, how would we make it work? I mean... I'm a Jedi, and you're a princess, after all. Doesn't that bother you?"

Twilight paused for a moment as though considering this fact. After a moment, she shook her head, staring at the Jedi.

"Why should it matter? What does it matter if you're a Jedi, if you're different?" Twilight raised her voice slightly, alarming the boy. "I don't care. I don't care about any of that. You could be a noble, a merchant, or even a poor commoner for all I care, and it wouldn't change a thing about how I feel for you. I love you, for you, Storm." Twilight's voice cracked slightly at the end of her sentence, betraying emotion. "I don't want anybody else."

The Jedi Knight was left speechless by Twilight's sudden outburst. Silence hung over the two teens, with nothing but the sound of the fountain's water filling the empty space between the pair.

"Twilight..." Storm looked off into the distance. "Are we still speaking hypothetically here?"

Twilight didn't speak. Storm looked at the princess. She was wearing a faint blush on her cheeks, staring resolutely out into the water, just the same as the boy had prior.

"Twilight?"

The girl sighed morosely, looking at her partner with sad eyes.

"No, we're not. I... I really do have these feelings for you, Storm. It's true, and it's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now." Twilight's voice trembled, and she seemed on the verge of tears. "... and if you don't feel the same way, I'll still look at you as the best friend I've ever had. It's just... I want to be more than just your best friend, Storm. I want to be... your lover."

Night Light punched a wall when he heard that. The power from his punch made a vase nearby shattered into pieces when it hit the floor. The King's face was one of betrayal as he couldn't believe his daughter was throwing away their bloodline because of a Jedi.

"Your Majesty?" said the Spy through his comlink.

"Get ready to apprehend the Jedi," said the King as he gritted his teeth to show his disdain for Storm. Just as Night Light said that he heard something.

"Twilight, I..." Storm gazed out into the fountain again, a thick blush on his face, which he knew mirrored Twilight's. "I'm gonna need some time to think about this."

Twilight nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. The boy shivered at her touch, which was new, considering the fact that they had already touched each other in the past. Why was now any different?

"I understand that it's a lot to take in." She sighed softly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Take as much time as you need, Storm."

The boy gulped, swallowing a lump that had formed in his throat.

"Y-Yeah... we'll figure this out together, Twi. I... I promise." The Jedi gave Twilight a warm smile as it nearly made the girl's heart melt.

He chuckled slightly. Twilight gazed deeply into his eyes as she was shoulder-to-shoulder with him. The boy could feel his voice die in his throat as her lustrous violet eyes gazed at his. At that precise moment, Storm realized Twilight had the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen.

"Storm?" Twilight cleared her throat. "Hypothetically... if I were to lean in for a kiss right now... would you object?"

Her words cause the boy to flush an even deeper shade of red.

"Y-You... what?" stammered the Jedi Knight.

Twilight bravely placed a hand in his other free hand, looking her partner directly in the eye.

"Because, hypothetically, if you let me... it would make me the happiest girl in all of Equis.

Storm could feel his palms grow slick with sweat, all while his heart thudded away in the cavern of his chest. Several more guards and mages were shown hiding behind covers as Night Light called them to apprehend the Jedi; they prepped their weapons and tomes as they awaited. Twilight smiled lovingly at Storm as she began to lean in for the kiss. The boy saw the girl close her eyes as she started to bring their lips in; up above, Night Light couldn't wait to get rid of this problem that threatened their family dynasty. However... just as Twilight was about to make contact, Storm touched her shoulder and got her to stop.

The girl opened her eyes to look at her partner as he pushed her back. Storm put his head down and looked away as Twilight questioned why he did that.

"I'm sorry. But I can't," said the Jedi Knight.

He quickly got up and walked away with his hands in his pockets. Twilight looked at her partner retreating as she clutched her heart; it started to hurt as she looked at the water's reflection and closed her eyes as a few tears began to form. Storm was walking away as he was about to pass the bush that the Spy was hidden behind.

"Your Majesty?" said the guard, wanting to hear the King's confirmation to take down the Jedi.

"Stand down," said Night Light.

"Sir?" said the Spy.

"Stand down," repeated Night Light.

Storm walked past the bush as the Spy sheathed his dagger and spoke into his comlink.

"All units. Stand down on the Jedi. King's orders."

The other guards were confused by their ruler's sudden change in command. Regardless, they obeyed the crown, letting Storm walk away unharmed. Night Light let out a deep breath as he leaned against a wall and let out a sigh of relief. The King silently prayed and thanked the heavens that there still might be hope, that Twilight would not be the weak link that could plunge their family dynasty into ruins.

In the nearby town of the royal family's estate, the harbor had tons of ships pulled into the docks and ports as they unloaded their cargo. Transports and other flying vehicles were then loaded with the goods to be sent out to their destinations. One of the crewmates of the ships exited the ship and began to walk through the harbor; he was shown holding something under his arm as he began to head toward a patrol of guards.

"Halt! Who goes there?" said the leader of the platoon.

"I bring something of importance. Something concerning the royal family." said the person as he handed over the thing under his arm.

The guard took the object as a scroll of parchment; he removed it from its protective seal and unfurled it while giving it a skim. Just that alone, the guard could see this was indeed something of matter. Within moments, a squad was sent on horseback as they began to follow the path upward to the estate where the royal family was.

Night Light was with Velvet as the pair sat and read with each other. The King held his wife closely as they read one of their favorite plays from their childhood when a guard came bursting through.

"Forgive me, your Majesties!" said the guard as he immediately groveled at their feet and bowed his head.

"What's all the ruckus?" asked Velvet as she sat up from her husband's lap to address the servant and let him lift his head.

"It's an urgent matter. It involves your family ancestry," said the guard.

The two had different expressions upon hearing that. It wasn't long before the pair were in the main library as the King looked out a window with Velvet standing near a table. Moondancer was also present as their daughter's handmaiden had some records with her and was scribbling notes into her journal as she was cross-referencing some texts.

"It checks out. Your Highness, we have found one of your ancestor's long-lost relics," stated the handmaiden. "The relic that belonged to your ancestor Shirai. The legendary Jade Staff."

The handmaiden presented a book and opened it up to a section that showed the royal family a picture of their ancestors and a photo of her sacred weapon. From the image alone, she wore a hat, but it was rimmed to be razor-sharp that it was also used as a weapon that she would throw at her opponents to take them down. As for the photo of her signature weapon, it was a three-sectional staff that could attach to form one long staff.

"Shirai. She was also famous for participating in the bandits' invasion and defending the giant wall of defense in Ancient Eastern Equis," said Night Light, staring out the window.

"But Dad, I thought Shirai hid her weapon in a cave?" asked Twilight as she sat on a nearby desk with some documents talking about her ancient ancestor.

"Yes, and it remained hidden for nearly 1500 years. However, a group of bandits managed to come upon the cave and stole it. Yet, as they were transporting it on their ship, they came across a fierce tempest that caused their ship to be destroyed. And as a result, our ancestor's relic was lost. That is... until today." said Night Light.

"According to the report given to us, the last location of Shirai's relic rests here. In the Celestial Sea," said Moondancer as she pointed to a map with coordinates and gridlines. "It's just off the coast of Basalt Beach."

"Basalt Beach? But that would mean..." said Night Light as he registered where Shirai's relic was and who would be near it. "I'll go retrieve the relic myself."

"What?" said Twilight.

"Honey!" said Velvet as she pulled her husband aside to speak to him quietly. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Basalt Beach is territory that..."

"I know, which is why it's safer to go in myself. They won't think we're a threat if the King of Equis appears."

"I understand. But... what about the other dangers in the Celestial Sea?"

"I'll be using Morgiana's routes. She mapped that sea to know which routes were safe and which ones to steer clear of dangerous monsters," stated the King to his wife. "I'll only be taking a small crew to assist me. We'll be back within a day's voyage."

"I'm still worried for you," said Velvet.

"Twilight. Can you and Moondancer send word to the nearby harbor to get a ship prepped for leaving immediately?" asked Night Light.

"Sure thing, Dad," said the princess as she left with her handmaiden.

"Nighty," said Velvet as her husband lifted her chin to have her look at him.

"I promise I'll be safe, honey," stated Night Light as he kissed his wife to ease her worries. Velvet wrapped her arms around her husband as she clutched his tightly.

"If you're going, then I ask of something from you," said the Queen.

"If it helps put your worries at ease, then I'll do it," responded Night Light.

The ship that would voyage to retrieve the lost relic was shown. It was moments away from leaving port as the sails were being unfurled from the crew. Looking at the massive sea vehicle was Storm as the Jedi was amazed to see a ship for the first time. The boy was taking it all in when his attention was called; he turned to see a Warrior guard as he glared at the teen.

"This way, Jedi," said the guard.

Appearing behind the boy was a Wizard guard and a War Monk guard. The two bigger individuals looked at the teen, and he began walking toward the ship's ramp. The Jedi began to walk up it as the three guards followed suit; once he reached the top and stepped onto the deck, the boy was amazed to see how much bigger it was now standing on the structure.

Watching from his cabin was Night Light; the King glared at the Jedi as his wife requested that Storm come along on the voyage in case things got dire, as she felt that having a Jedi by her husband's side would assure her worries. While Night Light didn't like the idea, he knew he didn't want to make his wife worry any more than she already was. Plus, she only said that Storm was to go with him. She never said anything if he was to come back, maybe... he might fall into the sea accidentally and be left behind.

"Castaway!" shouted the ship's captain as he and his men began to set sail.

The ship began to move as Storm nearly fell over, as he didn't expect the sudden movement. A small group of people waved to the ship and its crew as they wished them a safe voyage. Velvet watched from the mansion as the woman saw the ship exiting the harbor and heading into the ocean.

"Be safe, honey. Please return," said the Queen, putting her hand on the window. "Storm... make sure you watch my husband's back. Hopefully, the mermaids understand."

The ship rode on the clear, blue, beautiful water as the wind blew on the sails. The crew were all at their positions, ensuring everything worked properly. As for Storm, Velvet also made accommodations to give the boy his own quarters to avoid getting pummeled and ganged up by her husband and the other guards in the barracks. The Jedi had a small porthole window as he looked out of it to see the crystal blue water; fishes and other sea life were shown swimming alongside them. A few fish jumped out of the water as they reached the window's level before diving back into the sea.

The Jedi soon returned to his bed as grabbed the small satchel that Twilight had given him. The boy opened it, and it was a small book that the princess gave her partner as it contained information about her ancestor. Storm unhooked the latch holding the journal, opened it up, and began to read.

"Once upon a time, in Eastern Equis, there was a special woman. Her name was Shirai..."

A paddy field was shown, and in the background were tall mountains. In the rice field were some women wearing rice hats on their heads as they were currently picking up the crops. Two women were shown side by side, each with baskets in their hands.

"This is a good harvest, Shirai," said the woman to her friend.

"Yes," responded the woman with a slightly annoyed tone, "... mmmph... It is a blessing, Kairi."

"You rather we starve?" scoffed the woman at how her friend acted.

"No, no. Of course not. But we've worked in these fields since we were kids. In forty years, we'll still be here. Stooped and feeble like Lady Qiao, " said Shirai as she pointed at their superior, an old lady who spat in the direction of the two younger women for calling her old.

Shirai merely raised her hand as Karai chuckled at her friend's antics.

"For as long as I've known you, you've dreamed of leaving our home. Why can't you be happy here?"

"Our ancestors fought in great wars and conflicts. They had adventures that made them legends. They died with honor and glory. Stories of our great adventures... hah... will be passed down for generations." scoffed Shirai, knowing her family history and how she wanted to leave her mark just like her ancestors did before her and pace the way for the future.

"It may not be glorious, but what we do helps the village thrive," said Karai to her friend.

"I know. But is it so wrong to want a little excitement?" asked Shirai to her friend.

"If that's what you want, may I suggest a bet? Dinner at Madam Chan's tonight. Last to complete their basket pays." stated Karai.

"Ha! You work faster than me? Since when? You're on Karai!" said Shirai, knowing she could get things done more quickly and efficiently using her smartness.

The two women shook their hands as they quickly began to work. The two friends were picking up the crops as fast as they could, filling their baskets up faster than one could keep track. Shirai took her hat off to wipe her forehead before quickly putting it on and lifting her back to rush from the paddy field to the cart as Karai was on her tail. The two friends continued their competition as they went back and forth and soon began to push their carts into town.

Madam Chan's place was noisy as many customers were shown at the restaurant. The two ladies walked in, immediately struck with the smell of delicious food.

"Mmm. Now that is amazing," said Shirai.

"What I'd tell you," said Karai as the two friends walked to a table.

"Welcome, you two," said the restaurant owner as she approached the two young women.

"Thank you, Madam Chan," said Karai to the old lady.

"So, how goes the harvest?" asked Madam Chan as she poured some tea for her guests.

"Very well. Our total profits should increase by 12%," stated Shirai.

"Excellent. And have you two been keeping up with my lessons?" asked the old lady.

"Well, we do what we can. The harvest leaves us with little time for martial arts," stated Karai.

"Since the first you could speak, you've mouthed nothing but excuses, Karai!" stated the old lady as she slapped the forehead of the young woman like a parent giving their child a lesson to learn. "If you fail to prepare..."

"We know! Don't worry; your preparations will not fail you," stated the young woman.

"Good! You haven't forgotten!" said the old lady as she turned to leave. "But we'll see if I make you my famous dumpling recipe!"

"Well, it's a good thing you're paying. Otherwise, she might just pad the bill angrily," said Shirai as she sipped tea.

"I am paying? You finished work last!" said Karai to her friend.

"But I delivered my cart first," responded Shirai.

"Delivered? Ha! The bet was "filled," said Karai.

"That's not what I remember," snickered Shirai.

"Oh, so that's how it is, huh? You think you're so smart, Shirai? The scholar that you are?" stated Karai as she mocked her friend and her annoying trait of being intelligent. "What do you say we settle this woman to woman? Hmm?"

She then got up and began walking toward the end of the restaurant as there was a small area with some martial arts symbols used for any fights to settle disputes inside the establishments. Some people noticed the two friends approaching, and they got excited.

"HA! Wait? You mean fight?" said Shirai in disbelief as she walked by her friend's side.

"Yes. Right here, right now," smiled Karai as they approached the area. "Madam Chan can watch and critique our form.

"Fine by me. I'm going to win anyways," said Shirai.

"And what makes you so sure?" said Karai.

"While you were learning to walk, I already learned to write my symbols and characters. And when you started to learn that, I was being trained by my father in the ways of martial arts. Face it, Karai. I'm smarter, stronger, and better than you." Shirai flexed her family ancestry.

"We'll see who has the last laugh?" stated Karai as they arrived and took their positions on opposite sides of the space.

"Oh, this won't last long," scoffed Shirai.

She snapped her fingers as some magic began to circle her. Her outfit and hair began to change from her work attire to her fighting attire. She wore a qipao, though it had more modifications than usual. A red sleeveless v-neck qipao with a blue obi and its ribbons hanging loose at the right side, red pants, black shoes, her hair was tied in a high ponytail adorned with a long blue laced ribbon and a yellow formal sleeveless short dress adorned with orange lined ribbons, which resembles a skirt at the back, and yellow open-toed flats.

As for Karai, she, too, snapped her fingers as smoke enveloped and swirled around her. The young woman flipped her hair and head back, emphasizing her sexiness as the smoke cleared and revealed her outfit. It was a black sleeveless evening gown with gold accents at the bottom. She wore a black and gold sash held by a red rope-like belt. The outfit was completed with red shoes, gold earrings, and black and gold bracelets. She showed off more skin on her legs and arms as some young men went wild at seeing her bare skin.

That girl loves men fawning over her.

The two friends got into their fighting stance as they made some cries. They began to rush toward each other as they lunged with a flying kick.

The battle between the two close friends raged, attracting nearly the entire restaurant. There was even a wager being held to see which women would come out on top; for Shirai and Karai, they were able to predict and counter their opponent's moves while also making sure not to damage anything the few times they got out of the area due to all the heavy fighting. Ultimately, it came down to Karai missing a move as Shirai capitalized on that. She delivered one of her moves taught by her father as she delivered a flurry of multiple kicks in one sitting; they caught her foe and made her flip into the air before crashing down. The crowd cheered as the winner was decided; Shirai bowed to the crowd before she approached her friend on a knee and extended her hand.

"You haven't beaten me yet," said the woman.

"The day is coming, Shirai," assured Karai to her friend.

"Keep telling yourself that," laughed Shirai at her friend's face as she brushed that statement off.

The two friends then returned to their table as they began filling their appetite from the show they put on. It was nighttime to show how long the friends were there as tons of empty plates were on their table to indicate how much they had ordered. Shirai was holding the bill as she blinked twice at how much it was.

"You were hungry," said Shirai to her friend for ordering alot. Karai let out a loud burp as she excused herself. Soon, Madam Chan approached their table. "Everything was delicious, Madam Chan."

"Thank you, Shirai. You girls are always a pleasure to cook for," said the old lady. She then looked over at Karai.

"Alright, alright. Yeesh," said the woman as she began to pull out the money to pay for their meal.

As she was paying the money for their meal, the doors to the restaurant suddenly burst open. A man walked as some men accompanied him; they all wore robes that covered their mouths and had some strange symbol on the back of their uniforms. Some men had swords and other weapons as they entered the establishment.

"Who are they?" asked Shirai.

"Wait here," said Madam Chan as she left the two young women and marched to meet the one in charge of this group entering her home.

"Madam Chan. It's been too long," said the leader of the intruders as he saw the old woman.

"It's been too long," said the old lady, glaring at the man.

"Commander Shu wants your answer. Will you accept his protection?" said the man in a threatening tone.

"I already told you, General Yin, that I will not let your boss tarnish my home! Nor will I let any of his Mongrel clan threaten my business!" stated the old lady, walking away with the General following her.

"Mongrel clan? Who are they?" asked Karai.

"I don't know. But stay alert. This could get ugly." whispered Shirai as they watched Madam Chan with the General.

"Madam Chan. This is a simple choice. Pay for our protection or risk harm to this fine establishment."

"You'll get nothing from me!" stated the old lady.

"That, Madam Chan... is unfortunate," said General Yin.

He quickly brought his sword from its sheathe as Madam Chan moved her head back and ducked the next swing. She grabbed his arm, holding the sword, disarmed the weapon, and made it drop. The General's men started wreaking havoc on the place as customers started to race out. Madam Chan punched the General's face as they began to trade and block hand chops both high and low. The old lady went for a high arm attack as the General caught it and brought his other elbow down; she winced in pain. The man twisted her arm before grabbing her head and smashing it against the nearby wooden railing. She stumbled before the General threw her through the railing and onto a table on the downstairs floor as she fell with a thud.

"Madam Chan!" said Karai as she and Shirai quickly got up.

Two bandits saw the women approaching them as they charged ahead while their General threw a smoke bomb at their feet. The bomb went off as Karai delivered a bent roundhouse kick to one of the guards while Shirai blocked and grabbed the other bandit's arm to twist before flipping him onto his back. Once they disposed of the bandits, they lunged for the leader as he disappeared into the smoke. The two coughed before each was kicked in the head and tumbled to the floor.

"It's a shame that I have to hurt you two. You are indeed a thing of beauty. But you will learn painfully to never get in the way of the Mongrel Clan." said the General as he stared down the two females.

"We don't care who you are or who you are with! You will not menace Madam Chan!" said Shirai as she stood up and stepped forward to face the man.

The General pulled out a dagger and held it backward, preparing to fight the woman facing him. The two engaged as Shirai initially avoided the blade as a swing from the tip sliced a piece of her ponytail. She brought her hand up to feel it as she quickly looked over at a nearby mirror to see that it was still intact, just short, thanks to it being sliced off. It angered the woman as she began to charge and delivered some flying kicks in succession before backflipping and landing. She stood up and began to block and avoid the dagger swings before extending her right leg to block the hand holding the knife.

Shirai then brought her leg down before stepping over and letting her other leg catch the bandit in the face as he stumbled and let go of his dagger. The General growled as he went for a flying punch, to which Shirai sidestepped and grabbed his arm to twist it so it was under her, and she extended her left leg to kick the man in the face repeatedly. The bandit went for a punch to her face as she did a flawless split to punch the bandit in the groan as he felt it. She then stood up from the split and delivered a hurricanrana as she flipped the bandit to the ground and groaned.

"Now, who's in over their head?" smirked Shirai.

Meanwhile, Karai dealt with the grunts as she fended most of them. The woman was twirling and spinning as her evasive moves were too much for the bandits; eventually, she backed up to a bandit who threw his arms around her from behind.

"Usually, I like it when a man is behind me," stated Karai as she elbowed the bandit in the midsection before flipping him over her. "But in this case, I do not consent to you touching me!" The woman dusted off her revealed skin as if it had dirt. She noticed the bandit getting up as he charged at her.

"No means no!" stated the woman as she avoided the swing before kicking him in the chest, then flicking her foot up to knock him on the chin as she twisted and delivered a kick that sent the bandit flying into some tables.

"Um, that was broken before," said Karai, not wanting to pay for the damaged table she sent the bandit flying into.

A rope was attached around her foot; Karai saw it before being taken off her feet. The bandit who threw the rope then began to pull the woman to him as she slid before popping up and using the momentum to twist and spin before delivering a kick to his head as he stumbled. The bandit stumbled into the bar section; he grabbed a smashed bottle and threw it. One of the tips grazed the side of Karai's arm, cutting her flawless and exposed skin. The woman yelped in pain as she felt herself slowly bleed from the cut; she bent to a knee and tore off a piece of her sleeveless evening gown to tie around her arm to stop the bleeding as the bandit was marching toward her to have his way with the woman.

Just as the bandit was about to do something to the helpless young woman, Shirai appeared and grabbed her nearby rice hat to throw it like a disc at the bandit. The hat just hit the bandit in the back of the head; it didn't even phase him. He just turned around and looked at the other young woman angrily; they soon looked at the hat Shirai threw, which had a dent from making contact with the bandit's head. The young woman shrugged nonchalantly while smiling smugly.

"Incompetent," said the bandit, marching toward her.

Shirai quickly saw something on the nearby wall; she grabbed it and threw the object at the bandit. It was more effective as the metal disc grazed the bandit's arm; despite wearing some clothing, it pierced through, and now he had drops of blood. The disc flew as it embedded itself into the wall.

"Hmm. That works," said Shirai, impressed by her discovery.

The woman then charged as she took advantage of the bandit trying to tend to his wound; she delivered several punches to his chest and face in rapid succession before ending it off by turning around and bending down with her leg extended to sweep the man off his feet and crash to the floor on his back.

"Let that be a lesson to never mess with us," said Shirai to the downed bandit.

The young woman then went to pick up her hat as she noticed the dent in it. It was still wearable as she put it on; she kept a hand on it as she looked up at the metal disc she threw moments ago.

"Interesting," said Shirai, as she grazed her hand along the edge of her hat as an idea began to form in her head.

"Shirai, over here!" shouted Karai as she got her friend's attention.

The woman looked over the railing to see her friend checking up on Madam Chan after being thrown off the second floor through a table. She quickly hopped over the railing to land on the stairway and began to run down the rest as she bent down on the other side of the old lady.

"Madam Chan!" said Shirai, trying to get a response from the old lady.

"She's out cold," said Karai as she couldn't feel any pulse.

"No. No. She can't be..."

"Dead?" said the old lady as she opened her eyes and had a smile on her face.

"Ahh!" yelled both younger women as they fell onto their butts.

The old lady laughed for giving the girls a good fright as she stood up and dusted herself as if nothing happened.

"You're alive?" said Karai.

"Of course I'm alive. What, are you trying to get rid of me already?!" glared the elderly lady at the two girls.

"No, we just... you know," said Shirai as she tried her best to make sense of the situation.

Soon, some clapping was heard, and they all turned their head as a robed figure approached them.

"Great, another one," said Karai as she and Shirai stood up, ready to fight.

The figure stopped as they revealed their heads and pulled the hood they were wearing off. His face was revealed as he was a much older man and had a smile on his face.

"You girls are impressive."

"Uh, thanks," said Shirai with confusion.

"Madam Chan, are they ready?" asked the man.

"Yes. I believe so," said the old lady.

"What's going on here?" asked Karai. "How do you know him?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself girls. I am Master Pu. Leader of the Otium Monks. And I believe I have found the ones that will help purge the land from the vicious Mongrel Clan." said the monk.

"Hold on? Otium monks?" said Shirai, as she didn't understand this.

"And what do you mean purge the land from the Mongrel Clan?" said Karai.

"I think it's time we explain some things," said Madam Chan to Master Pu.

A knocking came on Storm's door that got the Jedi's attention from his reading. He got up and approached the door as he opened it to see a crewmember standing there.

"The King requests your presence."

"Thanks," said Storm as he exited the room.

He made his way on deck as he took in their new surroundings; since he'd been reading about Twilight's ancestor, their ship had traveled from sunny clear skies to dark and grey. The waves were now rougher and harsh as the boat's fiercer rocking could feel it. The teen continued his path toward Night Light's cabin as he climbed the upper deck and opened the door. Inside, Night Light was reading some charts and maps as he had a compass. The King had a finger tracing along the route they were taking using Morigana's maps as they were just about to be on top of the spot where their family relic was. A knocking on his door was heard as he looked up to see one of his selected royal guards standing as in walked Storm. The King dismissed the female guard as she bowed before exiting to leave the two alone.

"I trust you've been keeping out of trouble while on my ship, Jedi!" said the King as he stood up and went to a table filled with some glasses and a bottle.

"Yes, your Highness. In fact, I've been reading up about your ancestor Shirai. Twilight gave me this journal." said Storm as he showed off the book to the King and merely glared at the boy.

"If you think this will curry favor with me, you're solely mistaken, boy!" emphasized Night Light as he took a shot.

"I'm not, your Highness. But... I do wonder something, and it pertains something to what your wife said. About the territory that we're sailing into."

"Mermaids," said Night Light.

"I'm sorry, what?" said Storm, who didn't quite understand what the King said.

Night Light returned to his desk as he flipped around an image of what he was talking about. The Jedi approached the table as he looked at the image written in the book depicted by scholars. For the teen, he had never seen anything so... strange couldn't best describe it since he'd seen stranger things across the galaxy. The boy was looking at an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a human and the tail of a fish.

"Don't be fooled by their appearance. They may look harmless, but they are as deadly as beautiful. For female mermaids, they have a siren-like voice. Some say it has healing powers. They also have other powers, such as water-hydrokinesis, which allows them the elemental ability to create, control, and manipulate liquid water. Not to mention that they can take the form of a human when out of the water." said Night Light.

"Wow. Amazing," said Storm as he looked at the different images recorded about mermaids; he was intrigued.

"Don't get careless. The mermaids aren't a defenseless species. They will attack if provoked or threatened." said Night Light as he showed an image of a mermaid with razor-sharp teeth lunging at a fisher.

"Sir, we're nearly upon our destination!" said a crew member who entered the cabin.

"Thank you. Keep me updated," said Night Light as the man left. "When we arrive, Jedi, we will dive down to where the relic is and retrieve it. If we're fast enough, we should be out of here before any mermaids detect our presence. Remember, that relic is of the utmost importance."

"I understand. So, what happened to Shirai after she joined the Otium monks?" asked Storm.

Night Light took another drink as he began to explain to the Jedi.

After Shirai and Karai were explained about the Mongrel Clan and their vicious crusade and how the Otium monks were the defenders against them, the two women were taken by Master Pu to learn the ways. They studied under him and the other great monks for months as their ways with magic and martial arts grew.

Karai was shown standing surrounded by other monks as they were currently training. The young woman had thoroughly accelerated her learning and skills more than most other monks, as she was already one of the top students. The young woman defended herself from the monks she was sparring with as she managed to stand her ground; she brought her hands in and took a deep breath before bowing, as did the others. Standing against a tree, Shirai watched as she approached her friend with something in her hand.

"Take a look at this," said Shirai, wanting to show off what she'd been working on the past few nights.

"Your hat?" said Karai.

Shirai merely smiled as she shook it to reveal that the rim of her hat was now laced with Equism as it was razor sharp.

"That is not a good idea," Karai told her friend.

"It's genius, Karai. I've been studying how Equism works and testing its bonding abilities. And after months and months of trial and error, I have perfected it." stated Shirai as she was proud of her invention. She traced the rim of her hat with her fingers as she nearly cut it before letting out a yelp as she sucked it off.

"This is a good idea? What purpose does this serve? It's not even effective."

"And that's why I'm smarter than you," said Shirai to her friend as she once again lacked the knowledge she possessed, which was why she accelerated much more than Karai, and many considered her a better fighter. "Allow me to demonstrate."

The young woman threw her hat like a disc as it sailed through the air. The hat spun with so much force and velocity that it soared toward a training dummy and sliced the head off the dummy clean because of the razor-sharp Equism rim infused into her hat. The dummy's body fell as the hat began to boomerang back toward Shirai, and she caught the underside of it with her finger while laughing. She placed her hat back on her head and traced the front with her fingers.

"Okay. I stand corrected. It's too effective," said Karai.

"Ha! You're just jealous that you weren't smart enough to come up with something like this," scoffed Shirai.

"Intelligence has nothing to do with this."

"Ah, intelligence drives ambition. It drives creativity. And those qualities of areas are why I accel more than you."

"Again, with you being better than me?" mumbled Karai, as that was something she couldn't come to grips with regarding her best friend.

"Girls, I see you have been training," said Master Pu as he appeared with some followers.

"Master Pu!" said both young women as they bowed to show their respect to their teacher.

"I see you have finally gotten your idea to work, Shirai."

"Yup. And it works wonders."

"I am proud to see you exploring and expanding your creativity. You are becoming one of the finest warriors I've ever seen." said the wise monk.

"Thank you, Master," smiled Shirai as Karai was shown grumbling at hearing their teacher talk about her best friend's accomplishments like she was a Chosen one.

"Now, both of you, I have something to show you," stated Master Pu as the two ladies followed their teacher.

Master Pu led his two top students to a well guarded cave as they came to a pond. The reflections from the water glistened off the cave walls as tons of fish swam; the monk began to step into the water. The fish didn't swim away or were frightened as they seemed calm with the monk. The pair watched their teacher as he approached a shiny relic that sat on top of a large stone; Master Pu put a single finger on it as the relic began to float toward him, shining in a green light. He turned and began to head back to the two women as they were in awe at what they saw.

"Behold, the Jade Staff."

The staff's shine faded as the weapon was easier to see. It was a green-colored wooden staff that was embazed with jade stones. When Master Pu held it, it began to break apart into three sections attached as they formed a triangle but didn't fully connect at the top. It amazed both women as the pieces formed together to form one staff.

"This relic is the key to defeating General Yin and his bandit clan."

"Amazing," said Shirai as she eyed the relic and reached out to grab it when Master Pu swatted her hand. "Ow!"

"This relic is powerful and cannot be wielded by a mere common. The Jade Staff will only respond to a wielder who proves themselves."

"Okay, I get it. So, what will it take for me to hold that?"

"Excuse me?" said Karai as she looked at her friend. "If anybody deserves to hold that, it's me! You've already had enough, especially that new toy of yours. If anybody should be getting something powerful, it's me, right Master?"

"Please, I'm much more qualified than you, Karai," said Shirai as she downplayed her friend's abilities.

"Is that want you think, huh?" said Karai as she got in her best friend's face.

"Enough, both of you!" shouted Master Pu as both stood at attention. "It's that kind of attitude and behavior that make none of you worthy of ever wielding this staff. You both have much to learn, and neither has what it takes."

Master Pu then had the relic float back to its resting hold as he began to lead the pair out of the sacred cave.

"If you both have this same attitude when facing General Yin, you will not last on the battlefield! Besides, protecting the people comes first!"

"Yes, Master," said both women as they bowed to their teacher.

The coming months were full of hard work; the Otium monks kept on training to prepare themselves for General Yin Mongrel's Clan. And during that time, the ruthless barbarian was conquering and ravaging many small towns and villages. During their sessions, Shirai and Karai often held small competitions to see who was better in hopes that they would be worthy of wielding the sacred relic that was shown. Then came the day when everything changed; a sparring session was being held between the two friends as Master Pu and most other monks were watching them.

The pair's martial arts, magic, and invention were being tested as they went all out. However, in the end, Shirai came out on top and defeated Karai. Master Pu stood up from his chair and began applauding Shirai like the other monks. The woman looked at her teacher as a smile appeared on his face.

"Very good, Shirai. You have grown," said Master Pu as she smiled at her like a proud father.

"Thank you, Master," said Shirai as she bowed.

Karai was on the floor when she saw this and started feeling angry. Seeing her best friend getting praised again for her skills and besting her again really irked her. She'd been training just as hard as her, but no matter what, she couldn't beat her best friend in anything and received praise like she was supposed to be a savior. She soon saw Shirai's hand in front of her as the woman offered her help to her friend. She'd accepted it in the past but swatted it away in rejection this time. It surprised Shirai as Karai stood up and glared at her best friend before looking over at their teacher and taking off. Shirai was left in awe at seeing how her best friend acted.

Night had fallen as the moon was high above. Most monks were retreating to their rooms after a long day's rest. Shirai was shown approaching a room as she took a deep breath before knocking on it.

"Karai? Karai, it's me. I... I just want to talk." said the woman, hoping to get a response from her best friend regarding what happened earlier. "Listen, I don't want any tension between us. We're best friends, heck. I feel like you're a sister to me. We've been together since we were little. I can't bear losing my friend, so I'm here if you need to talk."

There wasn't a response. Shirai sighed as she began to walk away, giving her friend some space. Inside, Karai was shown against the door as she had her head buried into her knees and heard everything her best friend said.

Once Shirai returned to her room, she tried to fall asleep, but it proved difficult. Eventually, her eyes got exhausted as they closed. Yet, hours later, they awoke.

"Invasion!" shouted a monk.

The bell ringing was heard as many monks began to scramble. Shirai awoke as she could hear many passing by her door, and the scent of fire filled the air. She quickly grabbed her hat and changed into her combat attire as she went to the central courtyard. Upon seeing it, she nearly fell to her knees. The monks were trying to fend off the Mongrels, who had managed to sneak in and were now looking to take out their rivals. Many monks tried to defend their homes as they fell in battle; fire was set in many buildings, and it was destruction.

Shirai then looked as riding on a horse was the one in charge. Commander Shu, a large Mongrel bandit, wielded a hammer that flowed with magic. He slammed his hammer on the ground, which caused many monks to go flying into the air as they yelled. He got off and began walking as the presence sent fear to anybody looking at him. An arrow was shot at his head, and the mask he wore just made the arrow bounce off; it did make his head turn, but it also enraged him. The bandit grunted while slamming his hammer down; the tower that the arrow came from began to crumble as it fell on many monks who were crushed by the rubble.

Commander Shu began to walk as one of the surviving monks crawled out. He fell to his knees when he saw the mighty evil approaching him. He tried to fire an arrow, but the hammer swatted it away before it came down on his head and was squashed. At that moment, Shirai leaped into action as she took down some of the minions before rushing toward the large commander. She threw her hat as it traveled through the air and tagged the General in the back as some flesh was sliced off but shrugged it off.

He turned to see the woman charging at him as her hat returned. He didn't think much as he slammed his hammer down; Shirai jumped and avoided the shockwave as she landed on the hammer before running it up and delivering a kick to the General's face. He stumbled as she landed before waving her arms about as she cast some magic. Chains appeared and wrapped around each of the brute's limbs as she attempted to hold him; however, he was much stronger than she anticipated and snapped them off.

Shirai stumbled as the large brute charged in, and she avoided his initial swings. She tried to get quick strikes, but they didn't phase the man too much. She ducked and twisted his arm before spinning about to deliver her signature flurry of kicks, to which the brute tanked them with his chest. Shirai was stunned to see her attacks had no effect before she was hit with his hammer and tumbled through the ground, getting bits of dirt all over her clothes and hair. She struggled to get up as the blunt force of the hammer nearly damaged her ribs; the brute growled as he walked toward the woman and prepared to end her life. He raised his hammer as Shirai noticed it before quickly rolling out of its way; she grabbed her hat while rolling as she spun and twisted before throwing it. This time, she aimed her throw as the hat sliced an arm from the brute as he winced in pain, but instead of blood coming out, some kind of magic seeped out.

It intrigued the woman as she caught her hat but didn't have time to find out as she took off. The brute had his minions reattach his arm as the magic put it back in place; he looked at where Shirai was heading, as he knew they would see each other again soon. For Shirai, she was heading to Master Pu's house to check on him; she still clutched her side as the pain from being hit still lingered. She arrived at the place, and when she prepared to enter his room, she heard voices and hid behind the wall. The woman peeked as, to her surprise, her teacher and Karai were present, but more importantly, Karai was holding the Jade Staff.

"You don't know what you're doing!" warned Master Pu to his student.

"Oh, I do. I'm sick of living in Shirai's shadow and everybody praising her like she's some Chosen One. I'm sick of waiting for my time to get what is rightful mine. I ain't waiting for the staff to choose its wielder; I'm taking the damn thing myself!" shouted Karai as the staff sensed her.

She held it up high as the staff glowed, letting loose some energy. It affected Karai as she held on; the relic glowed, and soon, it recognized its holder as it formed into a single staff, which Karai cackled and slammed on the ground as it sent out a breeze. The woman smiled as she seemed to have proven her worth to the relic and felt its power flowing through her veins.

"What have you done?" said Master Pu, looking at his student.

"I'm following my ambition, and now I have something that Shirai will never have," said the woman as she finally one-upped her best friend. "Now... time to die, old man!" She twirled the staff and spun it before thrusting it into her former teacher.

"NO!" yelled Shirai as she watched her Master being slain.

Master Pu felt the betrayal as he gasped and looked at Karai, who smiled at what she did. He then fell over as Shirai made her presence known; despite still being weak, she threw her hat at her best friend, who noticed it at the last second as it came directly at her face as she screamed. Shirai came out of hiding and approached her dead Master's body. Karai covered her face with her hands as the pain hurt like hellfire. She growled as she removed her hand to reveal her face to her former best friend; it got Shirai to gasp. A bloody, deep scar across Karai's face was shown as the woman had once again taken away something from her. Gone was the beauty that she loved, and in its place was the monster that was now her best friend, one that all it wanted to do was destroy her former best friend.

Karai growled at Shirai before jumping out one of the windows, shattering on impact. Shirai ran to the hole as thunder boomed and lightning crashed, with rain soon following; Karai landed and looked back at her friend just as the lighting went off and lit up her now messed up face. The sight was engraved into Shirai's memory to remind her what she had done to her. Another lighting happened as Karai was gone, and the rain began to pour down heavily. The monk looked up as the rain tried its best to extinguish the fires as the once sacred sanctum for the Otium monks was now in ruins. One more lighting flashed as it made everything go white.

"In the end, Shirai pushed Karai to her breaking point, turning her best friend against her. She took the Jade Staff for herself and disappeared into the night."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Storm as he listened to Night Light explain the story.

"Eventually, Karai teamed up with Commander Shu, bringing chaos to the land. As you can guess, with Master Pu's death, the monks needed someone to be their leader: Shirai. She was determined to take down the evil bandit and hopefully reach her scarred friend."

"Did she?" asked Storm.

"No. In their final confrontation, Shirai made the ultimate decision. She killed her best friend. She did it to put her out of her misery." said Night Light as he downed the last of his drink as it seemed to ease the pain. "Our family does its best not to kill out of anger, but if there's no other way, then so be it. Ultimately, the Jade Staff chose Shirai as its new wielder as she proved worthy of wielding it. And that's how it got in our family's hands."

"Sir!" said a guard as he burst through. "We're here."

The ship was rocking back and forth in some mighty winds and waves. The crew did their best not to let the boat tip over while tying the sails in place. Shouting was heard as it was a dire situation.

"Alright, sir. This is the location of the drop!" said one of the guards as he handed Night Light, who was being suited up, the relic's location. "And hurry, sir. I'm afraid we don't have much time."

"Right," confirmed Night Light as he was given the final pieces of his suit.

Storm was also being suited up as he approached the ship's edge with the King. The King immediately dove into the water without a second thought as he was determined to get the relic; Storm took a moment before he also dived in after the King. The Jedi looked about when he was under the water as he spotted Night Light as he was swimming to where the map told him. The teen began to swim after as they passed a coral reef; however, they were unaware of something watching them. A fin emerged from within the reef as it was attached to a creature; the creature was a mermaid as it saw the two humans.

Storm and Night Light kept swimming as their time to extract the relic was running out. Soon, the King saw the spot on the map that his helmet scanned as it showed him an X-ray vision of where it was hidden.

"Over here, Jedi!" said Night Light as Storm followed the King.

The pair came to some coral as Night Light touched his wrists, and it projected a laser that began to outline where the structure was weak.

"Strike it here with your lightsaber!"

Storm nodded as he turned on his lightsaber, and it hummed among the water. The Jedi struck the coral where the King asked him to as it broke apart in one swing; Night Light then got to work as he removed the pieces and dove deeper into the cave underneath. While Storm waited for the King, the mermaid that spotted them swam to where more were as he informed them. The small group saw them just as Night Light emerged from the cave.

"I got it! Now, let's return to the ship!" said Night Light.

"What should we do?" asked one of the mermaids.

"Send a warning," stated the one in charge.

The crew kept looking at the sea as they waited for their King. Time had run out as they feared the worst; soon, bubbles formed as Storm and Night Light emerged. The crew began to lower the rope as they pulled up the King and Jedi. Night Light showed off the relic as the Jade Staff glowed with energy; it recognized the King as it sensed Shirai's blood in him.

"Make way for departure, now!" said Night Light.

"Move!" shouted the captain as they all hurried.

"Do it," said the mermaid in charge.

Apart from one of them, the mermaids all stuck their hands out as they began to tap into their water powers. They concentrated as they commanded the waves to rock the boat; while that was happening, they also commanded the water to take shape as it assumed a form. Everybody felt the boat rocking on the ship as some fell on deck. Soon, one of the crew members was grabbed by his foot and dragged into the sea as he screamed. It caught the attention of everyone as they all looked to see where their comrade was dragged.

They looked before the dragged sailor was shot out and landed on the deck. He was soaked as the others helped him up.

"What happened?" asked Night Light.

"Sea... Sea creature!" yelled the man.

Thunder boomed as lightning crashed; rising behind the crew was a giant water seahorse. The mermaids used their water powers to create the figure as they were looking to send the humans packing. The creature rose as it stood over the boat and roared; Storm stared at the monster as he was struck with fear. The giant seahorse made some waves rise as it splashed on the crew.

"Guards, defend! Stand fast! Hold the riggin'!" shouted Night Light.

The men began to move while the guards looked to distract the seahorse. Night Light saw the creature preparing to launch another tidal wave attack as he leaped into action. He stuck his hands together, forming a solid magic beam before throwing it at the creature. It pierced the creature through the chest as it screamed in pain; the King wasn't messing around as he looked in the direction of where the mermaids were controlling the seahorse. He stuck his fingers out and fired a lightning bolt as it shocked them; the King sent a message to the inferior species of who was on top.

The mermaids didn't like the King's attack, so they commanded the seahorse to drag the chest back into the water as their final act. The seahorse was starting to lose some power as it grabbed the small chest holding the relic and began to drag it back into the sea. Storm quickly got on the ship's edge and stuck his hand out; the Jedi was now testing his Force powers against the water powers of the mermaids. The mermaids were stunned to see the Jedi solely holding the chest back without anything touching it. To them, they were wondering what sorcery he used to control the chest despite being so far away.

The seahorse had more water tentacles wrapped around the chest as it tried to outmuscle the Jedi's power. A few other tentacles began to head toward Storm as the Jedi pulled out his lightsaber and sliced at one of the water tentacles. It flopped on the deck and wiggled a bit before the solid form disappeared into a puddle; like before, the mermaids were amazed by the Jedi and his mysterious weapon that not only was he defending himself from their sea creature but also holding onto the chest. Night Light was working his magic as he fired another shot, which hit the creature's heart. It loosened the grip of the chest, allowing Storm to float the chest back onto the deck.

"Begone, foul beast!" shouted Night Light at the top of his lungs.

He fashioned a whip made of magic and began to whip the water creature like he was taming a rogue horse. He left beating marks on the creature as it cried in pain from the brutal assault from the King. Night Light reeled his whip back and then threw it once more as this time it wrapped around the head of the seahorse creature, who felt it tighten. It tried to break free from Night Light's grip, but the King held his ground, and when he turned around with one swift motion, the head snapped off. It fell as water sprouted from the neck and splashed about.

The crew cheered the King for slaying the creature and retrieving the relic. Night Light smiled and waved as he looked over at Storm, still standing on the edge. He then saw one of the creature's tentacles starting to drip back into the water as Storm was unaware of it.

"Look out!" shouted the King.

Storm turned as he was smacked in the chest by the tentacle and pushed into the war. He landed with a crash as water shot up; the crew looked over the edge, trying to see where the Jedi was. The waves moved their ship as they started to float away; the Jedi was under the water and knocked unconscious due to the tentacle. A figure was shown swimming about the area near the drowning Jedi who was falling; the figure grabbed hold of the Jedi as they began to drag him away.

The sun was high in the sky; the waves crashed against the rock bed. A beach was shown as on it were two figures; one of them was Storm as the Jedi was still unconscious. The other figure was what saw the Jedi in the water and dragged him to safety. As it turned out, a mermaid brought the boy onto the beach; compared to the ones that tried to scare the King and his men, this was a girl. She looked to be about the boy's age. The mermaid has brilliant cyan eyes, light artic blue hair, and light gambogeish gray skin.

The mermaid was checking on the Jedi for any signs of life as she was concerned. At that moment, the other mermaids emerged near the shore and spotted the girl.

"Princess Skystar, what are you doing with the human?" asked the one in charge of protecting her as he saw the girl beside the boy.

"Well, I saved him after you made him drown when you attacked the ship," said the girl.

"We were just defending ourselves. We weren't attacking them; we just needed to scare them away. You remember the pact made. Humans are not allowed in our territory. Plus, this boy is no ordinary human." said the mermaid as he made his way onto the beach.

"What is he?" asked the mermaid princess.

The mermaid in charge of protecting the princess looked at Storm as he tried to examine the features of the teen. They soon noticed his lightsaber as they examined it; they noticed the button as when he pushed it, the yellow blade came out as it startled all the mermaids. The one holding it turned it off as he set the weapon down.

"I believe he is what they call... a Jedi," said the mermaid.

"What's that?" asked the girl.

"Legends depicts them as powerful warriors, beings who control the supernatural. Being able to bend things to their will. But most importantly, they are dangerous and should be considered a threat." said the mermaid in charge. "Now, come, we must return to your mother. We'll want to know how your first visit to the surface went."

The girl was about to dive into the ocean as she looked back at Storm, who was still lying there and not responding.

"Is he dead?" asked the mermaid princess.

"Not yet," stated the mermaid.

"Then we have to help him. It's the least we can do," said the girl mermaid.

"Princess, we can't. Your mother..."

"I'll deal with Mom," said the girl mermaid as she looked at Storm. She put her ear to his chest and listened for some breathing. She then heard a thud, "He's still breathing." The mermaid ran her hands to push away some of his hair. "He's so... interesting and... handsome."

The mermaid in charge told the others to dive back into the ocean as he waited for the princess to do what she would do. The girl mermaid kept examining Storm's features as she found the Jedi to be a fascinating human; she then got to work on helping the human as she cleared her throat and planned to use her signing healing powers.

Mmm, mmm
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah
What would I give to live where you are?
What would I pay to stay here beside you?
What would I do to see you smiling at me?
Where would we walk?
Where would we run?
If we could stay all day in the sun
Just you and me, and I could be part of your world

The singing from the mermaid began to affect the Jedi as he felt the healing power. He coughed some water as he took in some air; his eyes were slowly starting to open, and his gaze was blurry. The sun was in his eyes as he could only make out the mermaid's figure but not see her actual features. The mermaid could see her powers working as the Jedi started coming to as she grazed his cheek and looked at him with a loving smile.

"Princess, now!" said the mermaid in charge of her.

She obeyed as she dove back into the water with her bodyguard. Storm now fully regained his vision as he slowly sat up; the teen groaned as he blinked several times to recollect his surroundings. The Jedi looked about, amazed that he wasn't dead but on a beach.

"Where... am I?" asked the Jedi Knight as he got to his feet.

The mermaid princess and her bodyguard watched from behind a rock as they observed the Jedi. Storm noticed his lightsaber by his side as he put his hand out to make it fly into his hand; the two mermaids were amazed by the Jedi's power as he turned on his lightsaber as it was still functioning. At that moment, some shouting was heard. Coming toward the bay was the ship as they managed to find the Jedi. Night Light stood on the deck as he looked out to the side and saw a figure in the distance; it turned out to be Storm. The Jedi waved his lightsaber as the yellow light was signaling them.

"Fetch him, men," said the King to the crew as he began to walk toward his cabin.

The crew dropped a rowboat as they sent it to fetch the Jedi. Storm was relieved as he began to head toward the rowboat; watching the boy leave were the two mermaids as the girl kept her eye on the Jedi.

"Alright, Princess. You did what you wanted. Let's leave." said the mermaid bodyguard as he dove under the water. Princess Skystar hung back as she leaned against the rock while still looking at the odd human.

I don't know when, I don't know how
But I know something's starting right now
Watch, and you'll see, someday I'll be
Part of your world

"So, kid? How'd you survive?" asked the sailor, rowing them back to the boat.

"I don't know," stated Storm as he removed his unzipped hoodie and wrung it out to get all the water out. "All I remember is being flung off the ship and hitting the water. After that... everything went back."

Mmm, mmm
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

Storm looked out to the sea as his eyes scanned the ocean. For a second, the Jedi thought he heard something. Like a voice calling out to him as he looked about the water to see if someone was there, but there wasn't. The Jedi Knight kept his gaze about, almost wondering if the sea was trying to tell him something. Safe to say, the adventure from today's trip would lay the groundwork for something big.

Author's Note: A big chapter for a big adventure. So let's recap some big key points: The first being the small confession of Twilight to Storm about her feelings and we now see what the atmosphere is between the two. Twilight is willing to love him no matter what, but Storm can't because he's a Jedi. The second being another of Twilight's ancestors; as you can guess, Twilight's latest ancestor, Shirai, is to represent China and that part of the world, so she has that side of her family ancestryalso in her bloodline. And the last major thing is the introduction of mermaids and who they are. Now, contraryto what people think, mermaids in old folklore were considered dangerous compared to what we see in most media today. And in some aspects, they did have water powers and some records depict them having a siren-like voice that does heal, so I incorporatedthat as well. And like it was mentioned, this will lead to something big.